Toddler parents.

I have no idea if I'm in the correct part of the forum so apologies if I'm not.

I have a toddler. She's 18 months. I have two more children who are both 13 & 14. So quite an age gap.

From memory I loved having the other two little. I'm sure there was times it was hard but I can remember mostly joy even with a small age gap.

This time is different. I adore my toddler. She's gorgeous, funny, playful and sleeps through the night. She's also very demanding, argumentative and will have a his system fit over anything and scream.

I'm just not enjoying it as I thought I would. I know I'm not depressed. I'm currently a stay at home mother. This won't change until she's in full time school. We have no option on this. My H is amazing with her but works long hours and shifts. On the whole I couldn't ask for anymore support. But by god it's brain numbing.

I have to admit, while I'd never want to change we have her, I do miss how easy our life once was.

My youngest has just turned two (older ones 6 and 10) and he is just the most unreasonable person in the world. He strops where ever we go, usually ending up with me 'calmly' restraining him and carrying him out.

He's now decided he'll only eat pasta or pizza, and screams loudly if he's given anything else

He is actually improving with age, a lot of it is frustration around not being able to communicate his needs.

They say the days are long but the years are short, and I try to remind myself of that, and enjoy the nicer bits!

I have a 4yo and another who will be 2 in a few months and can definitely relate to what you're describing.

I think naturally over time we forget a lot of the gruelling aspects of parenting young children. It's possible that with such a large age gap you've forgotten a lot of it too. I adore my dc but they are bloody aggravating and mind numbing at times.

I'm only going through the toddler years for the first time but I identify with everything you say. I would pride myself on having fantastic patience ( teach 25 4 year olds) but some days I genuinely feel like tearing my hair out. My just turned 2yo lies on the floor and kicks for the most trivial of things. She has to be man handled into a buggy, car seat, high chair etc

My short age gap two are 11 and 12 years old now. I also have a 2y5m old.

There's a massive difference in how I fine it to parent the two situations.

It's to do with there being a pair of babies/toddlers previously, so being active and busy busy busy was part of life.

This time around, not only is their just one (so life is less busy and can be slower paced), I am also 10 years older and generally more knackered! So again, this adds to the slowing I'd of the pace as a SAHM.

While lazy days are nice, they can be boring. So if I feel myself getting into a rut with my toddler, I make a concerted effort to get busier with her.